City comparison
Phoenix, AZ vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Phoenix, AZ are 6.6% higher than in Tucson, AZ. Someone earning $100,000 in Tucson, AZ would need about $106,600 in Phoenix, AZ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,583 a month in Phoenix, AZ versus $1,081 in Tucson, AZ. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Phoenix, AZ and 17% in Tucson, AZ.
- Both are in AZ, so estimated state income tax is the same: $2,291 a year on $100,000.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.6% moving from Phoenix, AZ to Tucson, AZ ($111,338 → $108,455), while prices change by −6.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.9% in real buying power.
- Phoenix, AZ: price level 103.3 (pricier)
- Tucson, AZ: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Phoenix, AZ | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.3 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,786 in Tucson | $106,626 in Phoenix |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,583/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,889 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,291 (AZ) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,380 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Phoenix | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 121.2 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 95.0 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 93.3 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 104.0 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 103.3 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Phoenix, AZ → Tucson, AZ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
89 Strong offer
Tucson, AZ → Phoenix, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.2%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
49 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Phoenix, AZ is in the Phoenix-Mesa, AZ pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Phoenix, AZ to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Phoenix, AZ | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Phoenix → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,564 | $62,893 | +3.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,117 | $76,095 | +3.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,629 | $91,205 | +3.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,338 | $108,455 | +3.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,568 | $128,162 | +3.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Phoenix, AZ | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Phoenix dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,180 | $47,220 | $50,349 (−14.9%) |
| Software Developers | $131,750 | $123,710 | $131,907 (+0.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,820 | $76,320 | $81,377 (+0.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,830 | $94,110 | $100,345 (−0.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.